Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-19

the head, arms aud legs, and lay screaming
in an Office across the street. She was
screaming with pain and calling for her
little daughter Jennie do something
to stop the pain. " she yelled. 'Oh, shall
die" Mrs Mann is the daughter of DR..
Strong, of this city.
VIM. J. Mckee, OF New York, and VIM.
p. Lamb, OF New York, occupied rooms
on the fourth and third floors respectively.
Both were awakened by the glare and
made their escape by means Of the fire
escape
Mr.. Spencer, of Syracuse, escaped in his
night shirt. His hands, face and neck
were badly burned. He walked to John
sons drug store and was treated for the
burns.
In front of Dingen Bros store lay a
dead man covered by mattrass. He had
black hair and full face which was COW
cred with blood and could not be recog-
nized. He had jumped from window.
At first it was thought that he was Super
intendent Morefield, of the Michigan
Central Railway, bat Morefeld was after
ward found.
Mark Osborne, day clerk and assistant
manager of the hotel, Is missing. He
slept on the south side. 1t is believed he
perished.
BRAVE WORK OF THE FIREMEN.
The last persons taken alive from the
burning building were two dOmestics who
were rescued from the southern end OF the
| fifth floor by brave iremen on the exten-
sion ladder. Minnie Stone, a domestic,
| 4. Al Al. tl,.,E h
door when she left it.
]. II. Van Buren, of Dunkirk, was in an
inside room and unable to get out. He
gave himself up for lost and went back to
his bed to meet his fate. At the last min
ute, however, the firemen broke through
and carried him out.
One man hung outside of the window
! sill for four minutes, while the tire burned
in his room. When rescued by the firemen
| ne tainted.
Chief HOrnung, of the Fire Department,
says: THE number of people rescued is
about twenty to twenty-five. We did all
We could to rescue them. We got two
streams into the corridor of the hotel, and
ut that moment the flames were shooting
up that big staircase and elevator way be-
yOnd the reach of the hose. We tried to
play both streams upon the fire, but there
was so much screaming by the guests and
calls for help from windows that We called
oil most of the men from the hose and let
the building 20 for awhile, giving all our
attention TO the ladders. Damn the build
ing, ! yelled; save the people, and the
boys helped man the ladders on the out
side, putting two on the Main street side
and the short ones east. There was need
of it, too. II was horrible sight to see
them jumping from every side. The cool
headed ones were rescued all right, hut
some would not wait"
SHOCKING FATE OF A GIRL.
James Mcclure, night engineer at the
postoffice, got into the hotel soon after the
| fire broke out He saved man who was
coming down stairs in his night clothes,
and who was Frustrated by the fire and
smoke After getting him out he returned
and tried To rescue girl from room on
the third floor, but she was lost in the fire.
McGuire says: 1T was terrible to hear
her cries Finally was driven away by
the fire and smoke and had to leave her to
her fate. could only tell from her voice,
where from 10 tO II years or 80. She was
| in a room on the third floor facing on Main
street"
H. II. Humes, travelling agent for Irl.
baCher < Davis, occupied a room on the
third floor. He was awakened by the elec-
tric bells, and after arOuSing other people
on the same floor, jumped through a win
dow to the kitchen roof. There everything
was in flames. After bidding good bye to
several others on the same roof, he made-a
rush for the Eagle street door, going
| through the flames and escaped. He left
| i've persons on the kitchen roof and thinks
| they must all have perished, rs they did
not attempt to follow him through the
| flames II thought it was almost certain
death" he said, "but it was certain death
| to remain One of the men called before
! jumping was tying his cravat and was
angry with me for my intrusion till told
| him the house was on fire. The man then
fled through the window on to the kitchen
roof with nothing on but his shirt and
cravat"
Mr. Humes was in his shirt and was
uniniured save few burns on his feet and
legs.
THE PROPRIETOR'S STORY.
Mr.. Stafford proprietor of the hotel,
tells the following story: "Our room was
on the south end and We dropped down on
to the roof OF the frame building. My wife
wanted me to 20 through the ball, but
! locked the door and put the key into my
pocket. Then ] jumped and she sprang
| into my arms. We were awakened by the
electric bells and if they had not been
turned on promptly there would have Leen
| terrible loss of life. The bells awakened
everybody in the house. When got out
of my room it was useless to escape through
| the hallway. think the loss of life is
less than some estimates | have heard.
There are probably not more than six per-
sons dead.
The building which was the scene of the
great disaster was erected in 1856 for hotel
purposes, and was called the st. James
Hotel.
The hotel was not q success financially,
and after q struggling existence passed, in
| 1864, into the hands of the Young Men
Christian Association.
After the Association gave up its rooms
in the old building in October last, the firm
of Stafford < CO.-compoSed of Robert
Stafford, II. p. Whitaker and W. J.
Mann-took a lease of the property for
hotel purposes for o term Of years.
Mr.. Whitaker reports that a large
amount of diamonds were in the hotel
last night. h. L. Robertson, of Lambert
Il Co. had stock valued at So 900 de
posted in the safe. Mr.. Adler had in his
room $50, 600 worth andR Mr.. Smith had
another considerable stock, but the amount
was not known.
The hotel building and st. James Hall
were insured for 500, 600, which covers the
loss to the Library Association. Stafford
& Co.'S loss is $75, 900 and their insurance
S34, 500. Fuller & Townsend, proprietOrs
of the Boston clothing store, estimate their
loss at $4,000, covered by insurance.
Peter Paul & Bros lose $50, 900; insured.
The loss of Ulbrech & Kingsley is $3j, 900,
and is covered by insurance. The minor
losses are estimated at $40, 900.
LIST OF THE KILLED,
To the list of the dead must undoubtedly
ha addad the name Of Mark OShOrnR day